EV Review: 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 Prestige AWD

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Brian Harper: I do not like conundrums. More specifically, I dislike vehicles that cause conundrums. And the 2023 Electrified GV70 Prestige AWD, luxury brand Genesis’s newest electric vehicle — its third — is taxing most of what few functioning brain cells I have left. My angst centres around a seemingly simple philosophical question: Is the Electrified GV70 crossover first and foremost an EV that has luxury intent, or is it a quantifiably luxurious vehicle that just happens to be powered by electric motors?

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Fortunately, Genesis provides a couple of visual cues/clues that help ease my dilemma. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof. Nowhere, as in neither externally nor internally, does some version of the word “electric” appear on the mid-sized, five-seat crossover. Nor does any sort of blue or green symbol — colours and icons often associated with so-called “green” vehicles — adorn the $84,150 GV70-E. It would appear Genesis, the still-fledgling luxury brand from Hyundai — nonetheless consistently punching above its weight with award-winning products — believes its new crossover’s poshness is at least as great if not greater than how it’s powered.

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The Genesis GV70 Value Proposition

DB: The other half of the question you raised — the luxury aspect — is without doubt. Besides the price tag, which is obviously smack dab in the luxury segment, the GV70 — you know it’s electrified without me telling you, right? — is replete with leather, milled aluminum and digital display. The decor is impeccable, the cabin “feels” sultry and interior just the right degree of minimalism. Genesis has carved out a luxury interior motif all its own, without reflections or implications of any other brand. After all this time, luxury Hyundais have a style of their own. it’s enough to make you say “Wah.”

That said, the price tag, all $84,150 of it, seems a tad high considering the gas-powered GV70 — the one without Electrified in its nameplate — is so much cheaper.

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BH: As in $57,650, which makes it — lemme get my calculator out – $26,500 less expensive. Sure, it’s not as grand, with less features than the Electrified, nor is it anywhere near as powerful, with a 300-hp, 2.5L turbo four under its hood, but, damn, you can buy a lot of overpriced gas for that difference. That’s the problem you and I have; we’re both children of Depression-era parents. Frugality is second nature to us and makes us inherent skeptics.

The Powertrain: Did we mention it is Electric?

BH: Yet, setting that aside, it takes a concerted effort to find fault with the Electrified. Simply, it’s a near-ideal blend of power and poshness. Looking at the powertrain first, the Genesis is powered by 160-kW electric motors in both the front and rear, with a total output of 429 hp (320 kW) and 516 lb-ft of torque. And while it really is overkill, pushing the Boost button on the steering wheel provides up to 483 hp for a 10-second burst. The crossover, which tips the scales at around 2,300 kilograms, steps out smartly and silently. It’s not a sports car, but it will hit 100 km/h from a standstill in less than 4.5 seconds.

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DB: Absolutely spot on with the parental guidance to frugality, Brian. Ditto the lack of hard complaints about the amenities, performance or the look. I do wish it had a bit more range, however. The GV70 — I was going to put the Electrified in there, but I held back ’cause I think you got it — has the same 77.4 kilowatt-hour battery as the GV60 and Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, and if I needed any quantification that my Range Finder testing has both merit and its results repeatable, the GV70 Electrified provided said proof.

Can the E-GV70 really deliver on its 380 km range estimate?

DB: Powered by, again, the very same battery as the smaller GV60, the big brother’s maximum range in our 125 km/h testing on Ontario’s 401 highway was almost identical, the difference between its 275-km range and the GV60’s 288-km autonomy likely a result of the weight difference between the two as well as the difference in temperature (it was 9C and raining during the GV70 test).

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Do the math and those 275 klicks means the GV70 — Electrified, of course — works out to a 28.1-kilowatt-hours/100 km. Neither particularly wasteful nor frugal, the GV’s energy efficiency is about on par with typical electric SUVs, but a far cry from the 19.9 kWh/100 km Lucid’s equally-weighty-but-much-more-streamlined Air Touring squeezes out, or even Genesis’s own Electrified G80 sedan, which manages 21.2 kWh/100 km. One does pay a significant penalty in energy consumed just to be able to park something SUV-shaped in their driveway.

BH: Even Genesis’s contention the E-GV70, fully charged, has an estimated all-electric range of 380 km puts it mid-pack the current crop of EV crossovers. I’d too like to see Hyundai working on getting it farther down the road between “fill-ups.”

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My experience with EVs is less than yours so I still find the Electrified’s “intelligent pedal” (i-Pedal) cool. (For complete novices, this regenerates energy through the braking system and allows the driver to decelerate and slow to a complete stop using just the accelerator pedal.) It’s strange at first, but you soon get the feel for it.

Interior Amenities

BH: As for the posh factor, I’m hard pressed to find it lacking in any particular area. It’s quiet to the point of eerie, exceedingly comfortable — at least up front, taller rear-seat passengers might find legroom a bit compromised — and, as you pointed out, the cabin décor is impeccable. The closest I could come to a beef is that the head-up display washes out when I put on polarized sunglasses. That, and the charge port is positioned in the front grille, perhaps not the best location — I’m thinking icing up during bad winter weather.

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DB: Yeah, for 85 large I want a bigger battery. Indeed, if you’re a Genesis fan, you’d could save a bunch of money with the electrified GV60. It’s $13,000 cheaper, only a bit smaller and uses the same battery and electric motors (albeit down a little in maximum torque). That said, its interior is not nearly as opulent as the GV70’s so, if it’s hedonism you seek, the GV70 — sorry, the Electrified GV70 — is what you’re looking for.

If looking outside the Genesis/Hyundai family, Cadillac’s new Lyriq boasts a 102-kWh battery and has fetching good looks. It won’t be as quick as the Genesis, at least in single motor guise, but the base versions does start at $69,898.

Audi’s Q8 55 e-tron is another looker with a bigger battery — 106 kWh usable — and a slightly higher price tag ($92,500). However, the 402-hp “55” too, in its base guise won’t be quite as quick as the Genesis. Of course, you could opt for the 496 hp/717 lb-ft SQ8 versions but that will take the Audi completely out of the Genesis’ price range. In other words, if you’re looking for a mid-sized luxury electric SUV with a great interior, the Electrified GV70 has an excellent argument to make. If you’re looking for maximum range and battery size, it’s a little shy.

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BH: Decent alternatives, David. I was going to suggest BMW’s iX, specifically the xDrive50 version (there’s also the xDrive40 and M60). Plusses are that it’s larger and thus more accommodating as a family vehicle, and has 516 hp to play with, not to mention a claimed range of 521 km. Negatives are that it carries a $93K sticker, plus looks that are, shall we say, challenging. Oh, and its interior design aesthetic is more spaceship than chic.

In the long run, I agree with your assessment. If range anxiety keeps you up at night, then the Electrified GV70’s middling results might not make the cut. If ultimate range is not that big a worry, then this Genesis has the required style, power and features to stand out in the luxury EV crossover segment.

Pros

✔ It doesn’t scream “Hey look at me, I’m electric.” 
✔ Genesis design team did a bang-up job giving the E-GV70 a smooth, elegant shape.
✔ It’s got the buzz. The E-GV70 is generally getting two big thumbs up from the critics.

Cons

✘ Genesis already makes a very good gasoline-powered GV70 for a lot less money. 
✘ E-GV70’s claimed 380 km range is decidedly mid-pack when it comes to its competition.
✘ Charging is not nearly as quick as Genesis claims.